Entrepreneur Work Visa

New Zealand · for applicants from Nigeria

Verified · 22 June 2026

For people who want to be self-employed in their own business in New Zealand, or buy an existing one. A work visa first (start/run the business), with a pathway to the Entrepreneur Resident Visa after operating successfully. Requires a capital investment (excluding working capital), a viable business plan, and relevant experience.

Rules last verified: 22 June 2026 · by Elizabeth O

At a glance

Embassy processing

Varies

Our turnaround

5–7 working days

Done-for-you Standard

Government fees

~£4,500

≈ ₦8,230,500

Why applications get refused

Business not viable / no benefit to NZ

Plan not credible or insufficient benefit (jobs/exports/innovation).

Fix: Build a viable plan with clear NZ benefit and realistic finances.

Capital or source not evidenced

Capital insufficient or source unclear.

Fix: Document at least the required capital and its lawful source.

Document checklist

Required

Valid passport

When: "all"

Detailed business plan

When: "all"

Evidence of capital & lawful source

When: "all"

Evidence of business experience

When: "all"

English test (IELTS 4)

When: "unless exempt"

Medical & police certificates

When: "all"

Application timeline

1. Prepare your application

Gather documents, draft supporting letters, complete forms

1–3 weeks

2. Rekoja review (if Done-for-you)

Specialist checks your file before you submit

5–7 working days

3. Submit online or at visa centre

Biometrics appointment may be required

1 day

4. Embassy decision

Standard processing. Priority options may be available.

Varies

All-in government fees

These are the fees you pay to the government, not Rekoja's service fee. Shown at the indicative exchange rate.

Mandatory

Entrepreneur Work Visa

£4,500

8,230,500

Total government fees

4,500

≈ ₦8,230,500

Proof of funds (must hold, not pay)

Capital investment (excl. working capital)

£100,000

182,900,000

Indicative. 1 GBP = 1829 NGN · 2026-08-03. Government fees change. Confirm on the official website before paying.

What a free chatbot cannot do

A free AI can tell you the rules. Rekoja does the harder part: we verify them against the official government source, prepare the actual application file, catch what gets people refused, and a specialist checks everything before you submit. We stand behind our work.

  • Rules verified against the official source, with the date
  • Document checklist built for your specific profile
  • The inconsistency check that catches what gets people refused
  • A human reviews your complete file before submission

Know your real chances for this route

Free, in about a minute. Your eligibility, gaps, and the all-in cost estimate. No signup to see the score.

Check your chances free →

The assessment pre-selects New Zealand and the work route for you. You can adjust before you run it.

Common questions about the Entrepreneur Work Visa

Sourced answers to the most-searched questions about this corridor are being verified and will appear here. Start the free assessment or ask the desk directly.

Real outcomes

100% approved

Based on 12 reported outcomes across all Rekoja cases. This is a look back at past cases, not a prediction. The embassy decides; past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Prepare for the interview

Many work routes include an interview or credibility check. Done-for-you Premium includes a live interview-preparation session with a specialist: the questions officers actually ask on this route, practised with you before the real thing.

Preparation improves your readiness, not the decision. Practice, never a guarantee.

Related routes

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Not a visa decision or legal advice. Rules shown are as of the last verification date above. Immigration rules change. Confirm before filing. The embassy decides, not Rekoja.